NEW YORK—Johan Santana snapped the New York Mets out of their recent doldrums, pitching seven effective innings to beat the feisty Florida Marlins 5-3 Tuesday night.

Fernando Tatis and Ramon Castro each hit a pair of two-out RBI singles for the Mets, who won for only the second time in nine games.

One day after embattled manager Willie Randolph kept his job—for now—following a much-publicized meeting with ownership, New York improved to 24-26 with its fifth victory in 15 tries.

Santana (6-3) struck out seven and worked around eight hits and two walks, allowing three runs. Duaner Sanchez pitched a scoreless eighth after yielding a leadoff double. Billy Wagner fanned two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 10th save in 12 chances.



Reds 9, Pirates 6

CINCINNATI—Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer that set a club record for left-handed batters, and Jay Bruce went 3-for-3 in his eagerly awaited debut to lead Cincinnati.

Dunn’s three-run shot in the fifth off Ian Snell (2-4) was his eighth in his last 12 games. With 252 career homers, he moved ahead of Ted Kluszewski—the bare-armed “Big Klu”—for most by a left-handed Reds hitter. Dunn later added a run-scoring single as the Reds pulled ahead 9-3.

Bruce, a 21-year-old outfielder who is the Reds’ top prospect, had a pair of singles, a double, two walks, a stolen base and a pair of RBIs.

Brewers 3, Braves 2

MILWAUKEE—After grousing earlier in the day about being placed in a platoon situation at third base, Bill Hall scored the winning run in Milwaukee’s victory.

Hall, who entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth, led off the bottom of the inning with a broken-bat bloop single off Braves reliever Jeff Bennett (0-3). Rickie Weeks sacrificed Hall to second, and Hall stole third on a 2-1 pitch to Mike Cameron. Cameron then lofted a fly ball to center, and Hall’s slide narrowly beat the throw home.



Astros 8, Cardinals 2

ST. LOUIS—Shawn Chacon won his second straight start after nine no-decisions to open the year and Hunter Pence had a career-best five hits in Houston’s victory.

Chacon (2-0) worked seven strong innings, helping the Astros win for the fifth time in seven games in the opener of a nine-game trip.

Pence was 5-for-5 with four singles and a double, including an RBI infield hit in a four-run first off Braden Looper (6-4) and an RBI single in the third. Miguel Tejada hit a two-run homer, and Lance Berkman walked twice, singled and scored three times to give him a for a major league-best 56 runs.



Cubs 3, Dodgers 1

CHICAGO—Sean Gallagher had his best start, and Aramis Ramirez and Kosuke Fukudome capped a three-run seventh with run-scoring hits to lead Chicago.